Moving Forward Little Man

During the holidays, our homeschool became less exacting. We focused more on cleaning, decorating, preparing gifts and cookies, than on letters and numbers. So it was with great surprise when this week I pulled out my son's Kindergarten book to find it DONE. I went through it and was overjoyed to discover that he had done it all.

Some may be confused by this. Don't I watch over my son's school work and check it all? The answer is.... not really. I have specific daily tasks I want my son to do. I do these various tasks with him, until he knows them. Then I watch from a distance. And then....
I let him do it.
He, of course, knows where to find me if he has a question or a problem.

I LOVE HOMESCHOOLING!

And as a result, my son loves it too. And he obviously enjoyed his Kindergarten workbook, enough to finish it long before I expected him to.

So for the last couple of days, I drew up a list of those things he specifically learned in this time period and we did our testing. To my son, testing is such drudgery. But I explained to him the importance of these records (legal blah), and gave him ample rewards for each section. (If it works for Mary Poppins, it works for me.)

So here is my little man after he has completed his testing, and obviously pleased with himself.

This does make me happy.

BUT the next step made me OVERJOYED! Yup, just about bursting... Certainly lots of gushing.

I got to gather the materials for 'First Grade.' I am SOOOOOO excited about this. I have just been DYING to get past this teaching numbers and letters and get to the READING. Oh OH OH how I love to read. Oh how many beautiful, wonderful, glorious books I have that I LONG TO SHARE!

I like to gather my materials and record them all. This does not include our regular trips to the library and any large chapter book my son requests I read to him. So far I have read Robinson Crusoe, Dr. Dolittle, and The Sign of the Beaver. We have REALLY enjoyed these books and discussing them. Then before each week I will sit down and plan our workweek, and record our finished tasks each day.

My little girl has also been asking to do 'school.' So I gathered a few books for her too.

Like I said, I love homeschooling.

And I don't love it just because it is fun. I understand that it is a duty and an obligation. And I take that quite seriously. I rejoice in the labor that the Lord put upon me and all parents, (Deut 6:4-7 especially). And I encourage ALL to prayerfully consider homeschooling their own children. I know, among my readers, those who will be hurt by these words. But know that I always speak with honesty, and with love. I mean every word I say. Homeschooling isn't just an option. It isn't even just the best option. It is really the only right choice.